The 2010 Hot List: Gym and Fitness

The 2010 Hot List: Gym and Fitness

Compiling a list of the city’s top spots to eat, drink, dance, shop and play is no easy feat. And this year, we had an endless list of buzzworthy newcomers, rediscovered classics and established spots that have stepped it up a notch to choose from. Not that we’re complaining; in fact, we’ve never been more proud of our city’s restaurants, shops, clubs, gyms and cultural institutions. If we could write St. Louis a love song, it would go a little something like this.

Gyms & Fitness

We love that hitting the gym has never been more fun. Let’s be honest: Exercise isn’t something most of us really want to do on a regular basis. Fortunately for St. Louisans, hitting the gym doesn’t have to be a drag. Whether you’re sculpting a hot bikini bod or just getting in better shape, our local get-fit facilities offer a whole new crop of cutting-edge classes that blast the workout blahs and actually make breaking a sweat fun.

Best New Gym: Performax With this newcomer to the St. Louis fitness scene, there’s no longer a need to fret about your recent couch potato days. Performax will get you back in your skinny jeans faster than ever, no matter what kind of shape you’re in. Town & Country, 636.220.8818.

Best Weight-Loss Program: Pounds and Inches Away End your yo-yo diet for good and finally get rid of those tough-to-trim-down spots with an all-new approach to weight loss that hinges on a naturally occurring hormone, HCG, for permanent results. Chesterfield, 636.922.2282.

Best Place to Bring Out Your Inner Million Dollar Baby: Sweat Step off the treadmill and into the ring (at least in mindset) to scorch some serious calories Hilary Swank-style with boxing training that focuses on strengthening the body’s core, resistance training, cardiovascular conditioning and stretching. Clayton, 314.725.2714.

Best All-In-One Gym: Rock Workout Revive your worn-out workout routine—and get “rock” solid results from head to toe—with master personal trainer Val Strang’s latest concept in healthy living that focuses on fitness rather than thinness through techniques designed to achieve optimal alignment, core strength and muscular balance. Downtown, 314.531.7625.

Best Group Training: The Fitness Studio Super-sexy slim-down classes like hip hop, chair striptease, cardio strip fit, pole and hot Latin dancing give you and your girls a fun new way to shed pounds. You’ll have a blast, but don’t get us wrong: This is no night out on the town. You will get a hardcore workout. Clayton, 314.863.4800.

Best See-And-Be-Seen Gym: Fitness Factory Located in the heart of Washington Avenue’s hip loft district, it’s only natural that the coolest city dwellers would flock to this fabulous four-level, full-service athletic club, where you can mix and mingle with like-minded members during water breaks. Downtown, 314.241.2700.

Best Personal Training: The Fitness Edge Kiss unwanted weight goodbye with a little one-on-one attention from a team of professionally qualified and certified trainers who keep your progress exciting with a customized training program and sensible nutrition plan. Creve Coeur, 314.993-3343.

Best Workout for Busy Professionals: 20 Minutes to Fitness CEOs and high-powered professionals take note—you no longer have the “I just don’t have time” to workout excuse to claim. Busy professionals and people can get in a quickie, a workout quickie that is, at convenient locations in STL, where twenty minutes is all you need for a serious strength training workout. 20minutestofitness.com.

Best Upscale Gym: Sante Named after the French toast to health, this super-sleek state-of-the-art center in Chase Park Plaza is committed to your total well-being, from fitness and nutrition to sleep patterns, stress levels and motivational issues. We’ll raise a glass to that. Clayton, 314.633.3020.